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Unique Tasting Experience at Sandhill Winery’s Urban Centre

Today marked the retirement of Sandhill Winemaker Howard Soon, the longest serving winemaker in Canada with 37 consecutive vintages to his name and numerous notable awards.

It may be surrounded by cement, not vines, but it’s worth a stop at on your next Kelowna wine tour

The winery, located in downtown Kelowna, may not have the romantic vineyard ambiance that makes other Okanagan wineries so popular, but where they don’t lack is inside, where you’ll find a fascinating lineup of wine and a knowledgeable staff to taste you through it. They are the only winery in Canada to produce Barbera wine, and the first to produce Sangiovese. You can taste these, along with other single vineyard wines from 6 distinct terroirs from around the Okanagan. We loved hearing about each wine and the vineyard it came from, especially the small lots series.

Having a toast to Howard Soon today to mark his retirement. This cab merlot is from grapes grown at Keremeos’s Vanessa Vineyard

Definitely stop by on your next Kelowna wine tour. It may not have the grandeur (Summerhill), kitch (Vibrant Vines), or trendiness (Kitsch) of other Kelowna wineries, but it’s a one-stop shop for history and terroir lessons and it’s alot closer than Italy to taste some authentic Italian varietals.